NMR spectroscopy of coin cell batteries with metal casings.

Battery cells with metal casings are commonly considered incompatible with nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy because the oscillating radio-frequency magnetic fields ("rf fields") responsible for excitation and detection of NMR active nuclei do not penetrate metals. Here, we show that rf fields can still efficiently penetrate nonmetallic layers of coin cells with metal casings provided "B1 damming" configurations are avoided. With this understanding, we demonstrate noninvasive high-field in situ 7Li and 19F NMR of coin cells with metal casings using a traditional external NMR coil. This includes the first NMR measurements of an unmodified commercial off-the-shelf rechargeable battery in operando, from which we detect, resolve, and separate 7Li NMR signals from elemental Li, anodic ß-LiAl, and cathodic LixMnO2 compounds. Real-time changes of ß-LiAl lithium diffusion rates and variable ß-LiAl 7Li NMR Knight shifts are observed and tied to electrochemically driven changes of the ß-LiAl defect structure.

A Comparative Review of Metal-Based Charge Carriers in Nonaqueous Flow Batteries.

Invited for this month's cover is the joint redox flow battery team from Sandia and Los Alamos National Laboratories. The cover image shows the stylized components of a redox flow battery (RFB) in the foreground, with renewable sources of energy generation in the background. The Review itself is available at 10.1002/cssc.202002354.

A higher voltage Fe(ii) bipyridine complex for non-aqueous redox flow batteries.

Non-aqueous redox flow batteries (RFBs) offer the possibility of higher voltage and a wider working temperature range than their aqueous counterpart. Here, we optimize the established 2.26 V Fe(bpy)3(BF4)2/Ni(bpy)3(BF4)2 asymmetric RFB to lessen capacity fade and improve energy efficiency over 20 cycles. We also prepared a family of substituted Fe(bpyR)3(BF4)2 complexes (R = -CF3, -CO2Me, -Br, -H, -tBu, -Me, -OMe, -NH2) to potentially achieve a higher voltage RFB by systematically tuning the redox potential of Fe(bpyR)3(BF4)2, from 0.94 V vs. Ag/AgCl for R = OMe to 1.65 V vs. Ag/AgCl for R = CF3 (ΔV = 0.7 V). A series of electronically diverse symmetric and asymmetric RFBs were compared and contrasted to study electroactive species stability and efficiency, in which the unsubstituted Fe(bpy)3(BF4)2 exhibited the highest stability as a catholyte in both symmetric and asymmetric cells with voltage and coulombic efficiencies of 94.0% and 96.5%, and 90.7% and 80.7%, respectively.

A Comparative Review of Metal-Based Charge Carriers in Nonaqueous Flow Batteries.

Energy storage is becoming the chief barrier to the utilization of more renewable energy sources on the grid. With independent service operators aiming to acquire gigawatts in the next 10-20 years, there is a large need to develop a suite of new storage technologies. Redox flow batteries (RFB) may be part of the solution if certain key barriers are overcome. This Review focuses on a particular kind of RFB based on nonaqueous media that promises to meet the challenge through higher voltages than the organic and aqueous variants. This class of RFB is divided into three groups: molecular, macromolecular, and redox-targeted systems. The growing field of theoretical modeling is also reviewed and discussed.

Desymmetrized hexasubstituted [3]radialene anions as aqueous organic catholytes for redox flow batteries.

Negatively substituted trimethylenecyclopropane dianions, a subclass of hexasubstituted [3]radialenes, are candidates for use as active species in redox flow batteries (RFBs) due to their stability in water, reversible electrochemistry, and tailorable synthesis. Hexacyano[3]radialene disodium is investigated as a pH 7 aqueous organic catholyte. The dianion and radical anion are stable in air and aqueous solutions at neutral pH. Systematic introduction of asymmetry via step-wise synthesis leads to enhanced solubility and higher capacity retention during galvanostatic cycling. An aqueous flow cell comprising a diester-tetracyano[3]radialene catholyte, sulfonated-methyl viologen as the anolyte, and a cation exchange membrane provides an operating Vcell = 0.9 V, 99.609% coulombic efficiency, and minimum capacity fade over 50 cycles.

Surface functionalization of polyoxovanadium clusters: generation of highly soluble charge carriers for nonaqueous energy storage.

Here, we demonstrate the effects of surface functionalization on a tunable series of nano-sized electron shuttles, toward improving their function in nonaqueous energy storage. The synthesis of a series of polyoxovanadium clusters featuring bridging ether functional groups is reported, revealing the influence of bridging "R" group identity on electrochemical stability in solution. Furthermore, the presence of bridging ether moeities yields enhanced solubility in acetonitrile (up to 1.2 M), highlighting synthetic strategies for the development of organofunctionalized polyoxometalate-derived charge carriers for nonaqueous, electrochemical energy storage.

Screening for High Conductivity/Low Viscosity Ionic Liquids Using Product Descriptors.

We seek to optimize Ionic liquids (ILs) for application to redox flow batteries. As part of this effort, we have developed a computational method for suggesting ILs with high conductivity and low viscosity. Since ILs consist of cation-anion pairs, we consider a method for treating ILs as pairs using product descriptors for QSPRs, a concept borrowed from the prediction of protein-protein interactions in bioinformatics. We demonstrate the method by predicting electrical conductivity, viscosity, and melting point on a dataset taken from the ILThermo database on June 18th , 2014. The dataset consists of 4,329 measurements taken from 165 ILs made up of 72 cations and 34 anions. We benchmark our QSPRs on the known values in the dataset then extend our predictions to screen all 2,448 possible cation-anion pairs in the dataset.

Mixed addenda polyoxometalate "solutions" for stationary energy storage.

A series of redox flow batteries utilizing mixed addenda (vanadium and tungsten), phosphorus-based polyoxometalates (A-α-PV3W9O40(6-), B-α-PV3W9O40(6-), and P2V3W15O62(9-)) were prepared and tested. Cyclic voltammetry and bulk electrolysis experiments on the Keggin compounds (A-α-PV3W9O40(6-) and B-α-PV3W9O40(6-)) established that the vanadium centers of these compounds could be used as the positive electrode (PV(IV)3W(VI)9O40(9-)/PV(V)3W(VI)9O40(6-)), and the tungsten centers could be used as the negative electrode (PV(IV)3W(VI)9O40(9-)/PV(IV)3W(V)3W(VI)6O40(12-)) since these electrochemical processes are separated by about 1 V. The results showed that A-α-PV3W9O40(6-) (where A indicates adjacent, corner-sharing vanadium atoms) had coulombic efficiencies (charge in divided by charge out) above 80%, while the coulombic efficiency of B-α-PV3W9O40(6-) (where B indicates adjacent edge-sharing vanadium atoms) fluctuated between 50% and 70% during cycling. The electrochemical yield, a measurement of the actual charge or discharge observed in comparison with the theoretical charge, was between 40% and 50% for A-α-PV3W9O40(6-), and (31)P NMR showed small amounts of PV2W10O40(5-) and PVW11O40(4-) formed with cycling. The electrochemical yield for B-α-PV3W9O40(6-) decreased from 90% to around 60% due to precipitation of the compound on the electrode, but there were no decomposition products detected in the solution by (31)P NMR, and infrared data on the electrode suggested that the cluster remained intact. Testing of P2V3W15O62(9-) (Wells-Dawson structure) suggested higher charge density clusters were not as suitable as the Keggin structures for a redox flow battery due to the poor stability and inaccessibility of the highly reduced materials.

Revisiting the polyoxometalate-based late-transition-metal-oxo complexes: the "oxo wall" stands.

Terminal oxo complexes of the late transition metals Pt, Pd, and Au have been reported by us in Science and Journal of the American Chemical Society. Despite thoroughness in characterizing these complexes (multiple independent structural methods and up to 17 analytical methods in one case), we have continued to study these structures. Initial work on these systems was motivated by structural data from X-ray crystallography and neutron diffraction and (17)O and (31)P NMR signatures which all indicated differences from all previously published compounds. With significant new data, we now revisit these studies. New X-ray crystal structures of previously reported complexes K(14)[P(2)W(19)O(69)(OH(2))] and "K(10)Na(3)[Pd(IV)(O)(OH)WO(OH(2))(PW(9)O(34))(2)]" and a closer examination of these structures are provided. Also presented are the (17)O NMR spectrum of an (17)O-enriched sample of [PW(11)O(39)](7-) and a careful combined (31)P NMR-titration study of the previously reported "K(7)H(2)[Au(O)(OH(2))P(2)W(20)O(70)(OH(2))(2)]." These and considerable other data collectively indicate that previously assigned terminal Pt-oxo and Au-oxo complexes are in fact cocrystals of the all-tungsten structural analogues with noble metal cations, while the Pd-oxo complex is a disordered Pd(II)-substituted polyoxometalate. The neutron diffraction data have been re-analyzed, and new refinements are fully consistent with the all-tungsten formulations of the Pt-oxo and Au-oxo polyoxometalate species.

A co-crystal of polyoxometalates exhibiting single-molecule magnet behavior: the structural origin of a large magnetic anisotropy.

A polyoxometalate-based {Mn(III)(3)Mn(IV)} single-molecule magnet exhibits a large axial anisotropy (D = -0.86 cm(-1)) resulting from a near-parallel alignment of Jahn-Teller axes. Its rigorous three-fold symmetry (i.e. rhombicity E→ 0) and increased intercluster separation via co-crystallization effectively hamper quantum tunnelling of the magnetization.

Synthesis and characterization of ionic liquids containing copper, manganese, or zinc coordination cations.

Copper-, manganese-, and zinc-based ionic liquids (Cu{NH(2)CH(2)CH(2)OH}(6)[CH(3)(CH(2))(3)CH(C(2)H(5))CO(2)](2) (2), Cu{NH(CH(2)CH(2)OH)(2)}(6)[CH(3)(CH(2))(3)CH(C(2)H(5))CO(2)](2) (3A), Cu{NH(CH(2)CH(2)OH)(2)}(6)[CF(3)SO(3)](2) (3B), Cu{NH(CH(2)CH(2)OH)(2)}(6)[(CF(3)SO(2))(2)N](2) (3C), Mn{NH(CH(2)CH(2)OH)(2)}(6)[CF(3)SO(3)](2) (4), and Zn{NH(2)CH(2)CH(2)OH}(6)[CF(3)SO(3)](2) (5)) are synthesized in a single-step reaction. Infrared data suggest that ethanolamine preferentially coordinates to the metal center through the amine group in 2 and the hydroxyl group in 5. In addition, diethanolamine coordinates through the amine group in 3A, 3C, and 4 and the hydroxyl group in 3B. The compounds are viscous (>1000 cP) at room temperature, but two (3C and 4) display specific conductivities that are reasonably high for ionic liquids (>20 mS cm(-1)). All of the compounds display a glass transition (T(g)) below -50 °C. The cyclic voltammograms (CVs) of 2, 3A, 3B, and 3C display a single quasi-reversible wave associated with Cu(II)/Cu(I) reduction and re-oxidation while 5 shows a wave attributed to Zn(II)/Zn(0) reduction and stripping (re-oxidation). Compound 4 is the first in this new family of transition metal-based ionic liquids (MetILs) to display reversible Mn(II)/Mn(III) oxidation and re-reduction at 50 mV s(-1) using a glassy carbon working electrode.

Synthesis of an ionic liquid with an iron coordination cation.

An iron-based ionic liquid, Fe((OHCH(2)CH(2))(2)NH)(6)(CF(3)SO(3))(3), is synthesized in a single-step complexation reaction. Infrared and Raman data suggest NH(CH(2)CH(2)OH)(2) primarily coordinates to Fe(iii) through alcohol groups. The compound has T(g) and T(d) values of -64 degrees C and 260 degrees C, respectively. Cyclic voltammetry reveals quasi-reversible Fe(iii)/Fe(ii) reduction waves.

Cupric siliconiobate. Synthesis and solid-state studies of a pseudosandwich-type heteropolyanion.

The Na (+) and [Cu(en) 2(H 2O) 2] (2+) (en = ethylenediamine) salt of a pseudosandwich-type heteropolyniobate forms upon prolonged heating of Cu(NO 3) 2 and hydrated Na 14[(SiOH) 2Si 2Nb 16O 54] in a mixed water-en solution. The structure [ a = 14.992(2) A, b = 25.426(4) A, c = 30.046(4) A, orthorhombic, Pnn2, R1 = 6.04%, based on 25869 unique reflections] consists of two [Na(SiOH) 2Si 2Nb 16O 54] (13-) units linked by six sodium cations, and this sandwich is charge-balanced by five [Cu(en) 2(H 2O) 2] (2+) complexes, seven protons, and three additional sodium atoms (all per a sandwich-type cluster). Diffuse-reflectance UV-vis indicates that there is a lambda max at 383 nm for the Cu (II) d-d transition and the (29)Si MAS NMR spectrum has two peaks at -78.2 ppm (151 Hz) and -75.5 ppm (257 Hz) for the two pairs of symmetry-equivalent internal [SiO 4] (4-) and external [SiO 3(OH)] (3-) tetrahedra, respectively. Unlike tungsten-based sandwich-type complexes, the [Na(SiOH) 2Si 2Nb 16O 54] (13-) units are linked exclusively by Na (+) instead of one or more d-electron metals.

An aqueous route to [Ta6O19]8- and solid-state studies of isostructural niobium and tantalum oxide complexes.

A new soft chemical route to [Ta6O19]8- has been developed by the dissolution of [Ta(O2)4]3- in conditions alkaline enough to arrest formation of Ta2O5, followed by [VO4]3--catalyzed decomposition of the peroxide ligands and crystallization of the salt. An average of bond lengths and angles from isostructural salts of [Ta6O19]8- and [Nb6O19]8- indicate there is an increase in terminal M(eta=O) bond lengths and M-micro2-O-M angles and a decrease in bridging micro2-O-M bond lengths in [Ta6O19]8-, although the central micro6-O-M bond lengths are identical within experimental error. Two new structures of Na7[HNb6O19].15H2O () and Na8[Ta6O19].15H2O () are exemplary of the fact that protonated micro2-OH are observed exclusively in the niobates. In these structures, the metal-oxide framework, seven sodium atoms, and all fifteen water molecules are located in identical unit cell positions, but in an eighth charge-balancing sodium is located in close proximity to the protonated micro2-OH in . Differences in the basicity of Nb(v)- and Ta(v)-bound oxygen atoms are also manifested at the surfaces of 17O-enriched powders of Nb2O5 and Ta2O5. Oxygen exchange at the surface of these materials readily takes place at both terminal and bridging sites in Nb2O5 but only at terminal sites in Ta2O5.

Terminal gold-oxo complexes.

In contradiction to current bonding paradigms, two terminal Au-oxo molecular complexes have been synthesized by reaction of AuCl3 with metal oxide-cluster ligands that model redox-active metal oxide surfaces. Use of K10[alpha2-P2W17O61].20H2O and K2WO4 (forming the [A-PW9O34]9- ligand in situ) produces K15H2[Au(O)(OH2)P2W18O68].25H2O (1); use of K10[P2W20O70(OH2)2].22H2O (3) produces K7H2[Au(O)(OH2)P2W20O70(OH2)2].27H2O (2). Complex 1 crystallizes in orthorhombic Fddd, with a=28.594(4) A, b=31.866(4) A, c=38.241(5) A, V=34844(7) A3, Z=16 (final R=0.0540), and complex 2 crystallizes in hexagonal P6(3)/mmc, with a=16.1730(9) A, b=16.1730(9) A, c=19.7659(15) A, V=4477.4(5) A3, Z=2 (final R=0.0634). The polyanion unit in 1 is disorder-free. Very short (approximately 1.76 A) Au-oxo distances are established by both X-ray and 30 K neutron diffraction studies, and the latter confirms oxo and trans aqua (H2O) ligands on Au. Seven findings clarify that Au and not W is present in the Au-oxo position in 1 and 2. Five lines of evidence are consistent with the presence of d8 Au(III) centers that are stabilized by the flanking polytungstate ligands in both 1 and 2: redox titrations, electrochemical measurements, 17 K optical spectra, Au L2 edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy, and Au-oxo bond distances. Variable-temperature magnetic susceptibility data for crystalline 1 and 2 establish that both solids are diamagnetic, and 31P and 17O NMR spectroscopy confirm that both remain diamagnetic in solution. Both complexes have been further characterized by FT-IR, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and other techniques.

Rates of oxygen-isotope exchange between sites in the [HxTa6O19](8-x)-(aq) Lindqvist ion and aqueous solutions: comparisons to [HxNb6O19](8-x)-(aq).

Rates of steady oxygen-isotope exchange differ in interesting ways for two sets of structural oxygens in the [HxTa6O19](8-x)-(aq) Lindqvist ion when compared to published data on the [HxNb6O19]8-x(aq) version. Because of the lanthanide contraction, the [HxTa6O19](8-x)-(aq) and [HxNb6O19](8-x)-(aq) ions are virtually isostructural and differ primarily in a full core (Kr vs Xe) and the 4f14 electrons in the [HxTa6O19](8-x)-(aq) ion. For both molecules, both pH-dependent and -independent pathways are evident in isotopic exchange of the 12 mu2-O(H) and 6 eta=O sites. Rate parameters for eta=O exchange at conditions where there is no pH dependence are, for the Ta(V) and Nb(V) versions respectively, K(298)(0) = 2.72 x 10(-5) s(-1) and 9.7 x 10(-6) s(-1), DeltaH = 83.6 +/- 3.2 and 89.4 kJ.mol(-1), and DeltaS = -51.0 +/- 10.6 and -42.9 J.mol(-1).K-1. For the mu2-O sites, K(298)(0) = 1.23 x 10(-6) s(-1), DeltaH = 70.3 +/- 9.7 and 88.0 kJ.mol(-1), and DeltaS = -116.1 +/- 32.7 and -29.4 J.mol(-1).K-1. Protonation of the 6 eta=O sites is energetically unfavored relative to the 12 mu2-O bridges in both molecules, although not equally so. Experimentally, protonation labilizes both the mu2-O(H) and eta=O sites to isotopic exchange in both molecules. Density-functional electronic-structure calculations indicate that proton affinities of structural oxygens in the two molecules differ with the [HxTa6O19](8-x)-(aq) anion having a smaller affinity to protonate than the [HxNb6O19]8-x(aq) ion. This difference in proton affinities is evident in the solution chemistry as pKa = 11.5 for the [HTa6O19]7-(aq) ion and pKa = 13.6 for the [HNb6O19]7-(aq) ion. Most striking is the observation that eta=O sites isotopically equilibrate faster than the mu2-O sites for the [HxTa6O19](8-x)-(aq) Lindqvist ion but slower for the [HxNb6O19](8-x)-(aq) ion, indicating that predictions about site reactivities in complicated structures, such as the interface of aqueous solutions and oxide solids, should be approached with great caution.